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High School Summer Institutes

High School Summer Institutes combine traditional undergraduate class and lab curriculum with organized field trips, guest lectures, and hands-on activities in order for students to gain valuable academic and career experience. Institutes are divided into morning and afternoon sessions that include assigned readings, daily assignments, and a final project. High School Summer Institutes are noncredit, academic programs.

All of our institutes are taught by Washington University affiliated instructors which include faculty, graduate students, post docs, and adjuncts.

High School Summer Institute students live on campus in one of our top-ranked, air-conditioned residence halls. In addition to coursework, students participate in specialized seminars and a variety of weekend and evening social events. Learn about life on campus during a Summer Experience.

Please note that the application process for 2018 has closed. All spots have been filled. Applications for 2019 will open October 1, 2018.

Academic Support Groups

Academic support groups provide an opportunity for students to meet and discuss issues outside of the classroom and further develop their time management, research, presentation, and study skills. These groups, led by our program staff, are designed to assist students with understanding the syllabus and academic expectations as well as providing structured study time. These groups also aid in identifying students who may need additional support during the program. Attendance at these academic support groups is mandatory.

Seminars and Workshops

Throughout the program, we offer a variety of seminars and workshops focused on preparing students to apply and attend college. These activities are included in the program fee and are optional to attend. Students who attend all seminars, and one workshop, and complete a questionnaire will receive a special certificate of participation. See Information for Admitted Studentsfor a list of 2018 topics.

Weekend Outings and Nightly Social Events

Program Assistants lead weekend outings and arrange nightly social events that introduce students to the vibrant, exciting city of Saint Louis and life on campus at Washington University. Weekend outings are organized based on student interest and include trips to local museums, attractions, and restaurants. Nightly social events include activities such as capture the flag games and movie nights. Weekend outings and social events are included in the program fee and are optional to attend.

One-on-One Support

We know that attending a pre-college program can be an exciting, but sometimes challenging experience. We also recognize that each student will have their own unique and individual needs during the program. This is why we assign each student a residential program assistant to provide academic, residential, and emotional support. Students meet weekly with their residential program assistant to discuss questions and concerns, provide insight on campus resources, and encourage social involvement. We also have staff on call 24/7 to address any issues that may arise.

Student Evaluation

Institute students are evaluated based on attendance, completion of assignments, quaity of work produced, participation in discussions, interaction with peers, engagement during activities as well as their ability to adhere to academic integrity standards and program policies. At the end of the program, students who have met the expectations of the program will receive a certificate of completion. High School Summer Institutes are noncredit programs. Grades are not issued for courses.

It is important to note that participation in a High School Summer Institute does not guarantee admission to Washington University.

Program Fees

Program fees vary by institute and include all academic and residential expenses. Scholarship assistance is available for students who demonstrate financial need. See 2018 Fees for more information on fees and scholarship assistance.

The deadline to submit applications and supplemental information is April 1, 2018. We review applications on a rolling basis. Once we receive all of the required supplemental information to complete an application, students are notified by email of the admission decision within 10-12 business days. Qualified applicants are admitted until all spaces in the program are filled. Please note that many of our programs fill before the April 1, 2018 deadline, so we strongly encourage students to apply early.

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to assisting all members of the University community in providing for their own safety and security. The annual security compliance document is available on the University Police web site at http://police.wustl.edu. The web site contains information regarding campus security and personal safety issues, including topics such as crime prevention, University Police law enforcement authority, crime reporting policies, disciplinary procedures and other matters of importance to security on campus. The web site also contains crime statistics from the three previous calendar years for crime reported on campus, in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Washington University, and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from campus.